Let’s get this straight―chipmunks aren’t a danger to humans.  The five-inch long furballs don’t have a single aggressive bone in their body. However, they do tend to cause lots of destruction and chaos when left loose. From chewed wires, uprooted plants, stolen berries to empty bird feeders―chipmunks can make a gardeners life miserable.  Plus, their droppings, leftover food, and constant burrowing can make a big mess.

Therefore, if you have a significant population of these guys tearing up your property, it becomes inevitable for you to start finding out ways to get rid of chipmunks. In our experience, the best strategy is to come up with a proper plan. You need to take steps that combine preventative measures and repellents to keep the cute rodents at bay.

So what’s the plan? Here’s what you have to do to get rid of chipmunks:

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The maxim that you should never judge a book by its cover holds true when it comes to the contrary appearance and nature of chipmunks.
Just look at this cute, innocent, little rodent – who wouldn’t want to cuddle it!  As much as their appearance and behavior may be heartwarming, chipmunks are wild creatures that unless already tamed, right after their birth. just might respond to touching with a bite!

This doesn’t mean that chipmunks can’t be kept at home as pets. It’s just that you need to devote a lot of time, patience, and space for them. If you’re willing to commit, you’ll love living with these adorable creatures. Before you buy one though, you should look up your state laws and local ordinances because in some regions, it’s illegal to keep chipmunks as pets.

Apart from that, you need to know a few things about these rodents before you bring them home.

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Chipmunks are the smallest members of the Sciuridae family and there are 25 different species of this cute animal.  Chipmunks have much in common with their slightly larger cousins, Ground Squirrels and Tree Squirrels, but their smaller size makes them quite different in many aspects of their lives.

One difference between the different members of the Sciuridae family is lifespan.  Some species of Tree Squirrels have been reported to live up to 18 years (see How Long Do Squirrels Live for more information).  But what about the small guys?  How long do chipmunks live?

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Chipmunks, like other animals, can be carriers of pests and diseases. Some of these are common, such as lice and mites. Others may be more dangerous. But before we get to that, let’s take a look at the matter at hand: Do chipmunks carry rabies? Are there any other diseases carried by chipmunks?

Chipmunks are not major carriers of the rabies virus. However, there are several other diseases carried by chipmunks.

Keep reading because this is going to get interesting.

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The chipmunk is among the few rodents in the world whose presence is largely limited to North America (Except for the Siberian chipmunk). Of course, this does not make them any less diverse amongst their other rodent friends. As I have mentioned in my earlier articles, you’ll find 25 different species of chipmunks in North America.

These members of the chipmunk family can be distinguished from each other in several ways. One of these is their breeding cycles, which is precisely the reason for this article!.

One of the questions people often ask about these animals is, “When do chipmunks have babies?”   The quick answer is that chipmunks have babies in the Spring, typically in the March-April timeframe.  However, given the diverse geographic climates in which various chipmunk species are found, the Spring season can extend into later months with babies being born in the months of May and June.  Some species of chipmunks have a second litter of babies in September.

 

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